Before I begin, I would like to extend my apologies to all football enthusiasts who will watch this game today.
It's not going to be much of a game.
Navy is clearly the superior team and will soundly beat the Cadets this afternoon.
The interesting thing for me is that although I'm a HUGE UT Longhorns fan since the days of diaperhood, I still love watching this game. It's not so much for the football game itself, but rather for all of the intangibles that usually go with it. The uniqueness about this matchup begins with both teams performing some secret covert military operation against the other team (e.g. stealing the other team's mascot). These guys actually plan these things months in advance and attempt to pull it off as if it was some "real-world" combat operation. They'll garner their battle kit complete with facepaint and try to sneak into the "enemy's" compound undetected. Some pretty crazy stuff.
During this period, the media will go around to all of the military installations (I suspect the majority will be located where the war is at) and get the units to perform some skit ending with "Go Army, beat Navy" or vice-versa. Some of these units will put forth considerable effort and creativity as the skit plays out.
The pregame ceremonies are a marvel to watch. The stadium is painted in a sea of grey and white with each group trying to sing louder than the other sister service with their military song. Then, there is a moment of silence for our fallen comrades and I swear you can hear a pin drop in that stadium. They conclude the pregame ceremony with a powerful rendition of our National Anthem followed by our military jets (normally F-15 Strike Eagles) flying overhead.
Then the war begins.
And for the next sixty minutes, you witness our future military leaders get out there and battle as if there is no tomorrow. Just watching them get into "the bite" makes you proud knowing that our future as Americans will continue to be safe once these guys take over.
Throughout the game there will be more singing, cannons going off, plenty of kisses for their respective girlfriends/boyfriends when TDs/FGs happen, and a crapload of Cadets or Midshipmen doing considerable amounts of pushups as their respective team scores.
And when the final gun sounds, regardless of the score, you see these proven warriors come together in the spirit of brotherhood, telling the whole world that our armed forces are truly one team and that this game reflects exactly what you're going to get if you mess with us. It culminates into one voice speaking the only words that still have meaning in our military: Duty/Honor/Country
It's really quite a site to behold and makes me feel that any other football rivalry pales in comparison when you see it in the spirit for which it was intended (this includes the Michigan/OSU & UT/OU game).
Today is the only day of the year that my neighbor, Mark, (former Navy Submariner) is my worst enemy and then my bestest friend.
Draegerman
PS: Go Army, Beat Navy!!!
